Station House

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 70 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Overall, people were positive about the way they were treated and told us staff were caring. Comments included “Staff are always pleasant, they pop into my room regularly” and “It’s ok, very friendly.” A relative said, “Staff are always welcoming, they interact and banter with (name), they understand her well.” We received one concern about the approach of a staff member; however, this was already being dealt with by the management team.

We observed staff knocking on bedroom doors before they entered and supporting people in a dignified and patient manner.

There was a current issue in relation to identifying people’s clothing after washing, as the current system was not always effective to ensure people’s clothes didn’t get lost. The registered manager was aware of alternative options and told us they would explore these further.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People’s care plans contained personalised information including their likes and dislikes. Staff had access to important information about their backgrounds and abilities through personal profiles, which were being developed. One person living with dementia, was supported by staff to undertake specific activities within the home, using skills from their previous occupation.

Staff supported people to celebrate special occasions, we saw them presenting a person with a Birthday cake.

The home had 2 small dining rooms. Within the one unit, we found the dining room was not used by many people, as most people chose to eat in their bedrooms. Within the other unit several people ate in the lounge or dining room. There was limited seating to accommodate everyone in the small dining room. The management team told us they were aware of this, and new furniture had been ordered to make changes to another lounge area. The provider had already undertaken some refurbishment and further refurbishment was planned.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff supported people to make choices and their care plans included information to promote independence where possible. People told us. “Staff are excellent, they let you get on with it. I choose to have my meals in my room” and “Staff are very good; it’s an open house you can come and go as you please.”

The provider employed an activity team who devised a programme including entertainers and group activities. Trips out of the home were arranged, with some people recently having visited the Christmas markets. Ensuring activities were meaningful for people was an area which the management team were focusing on as part of their action plan.

Several people spent most of their time in their bedrooms. The registered manager told us they encouraged people to use the communal areas and take part in activities should they wish. However, some people preferred to stay in their own private space. Some activities were provided to people in their bedrooms.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Whilst people said they sometimes waited for their call bells to be answered, others said staff were responsive. Overall, there was a stable and consistent staff team who had built effective relationships with people and understood their needs well.

Staff told us people were offered choices around showering and bathing, some people said they could have a shower when they wished. However, at the start of our visit, we saw 2 people were dressed and remained in bed, but the records did not indicate staff had provided personal care. Staff were unclear whether night staff had provided this support. There was a risk that personal care could be missed without accurate record keeping.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff; and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff were offered numerous benefits, and an employee assistance programme was available. The registered manager was focused on supporting staff to develop and progress within their employment. Staff told us they felt supported at work and one person commented, “If we’re worried about anything they support us.” Reasonable adjustments were made to support the health and wellbeing of staff.